Bills a burden, but fund provides lift

Holiday donations

Posted: Friday, December 05, 2008

By Staff Reports

Geneva quit her job for her other profession: full-time mom.

Her mentally ill daughter and autistic grandson needed more care than she could provide while working, and so Geneva began relying on her son's meager salary to support herself, her daughter and her grandson. But the checks weren't enough, especially when gas costs skyrocketed in the cold winter.

Geneva was referred by a local agency to the Athens Banner-Herald Empty Stocking Fund, where she received $411 for propane gas to heat the apartment.

The purpose of the fund is to assist local people who cannot be reached by other charities or need more aid than those charities can provide. All recipients have been referred to the Empty Stocking Fund by area agencies.

Last year, readers gave $51,241.71 to the Empty Stocking Fund, an increase from the 2006-07 giving season.

The total raised to date by the Athens Banner-Herald Empty Stocking Fund is $8,832.97. A list of this week's donors will appear in Sunday's Athens Banner-Herald.

The Empty Stocking fundraising campaign is held during the holidays, but the money collected is not used for toys or gifts, and readers may donate throughout the year.